Part 23 (1/2)
”We're going to miss Tom Rover a good deal this year,” said Bob to some of the others. During the year past Tom had been the candidate for head twirler against both Bill Harney and Dare Phelps and had shown that he was the superior of both of the others.
”Well, you haven't got Tom Rover, so you've got to make the best of it,”
answered Stanley. ”Phelps has been doing pretty well, I understand, so you might as well give him a chance.”
”Yes, I thought I'd do that,” answered the team captain. ”Harney isn't in it at all, and doesn't want even to try. I'll give Phelps a chance and also Jack Dudley.” Dudley was a soph.o.m.ore whose swift pitching had become the general talk of the college. He, however, was rather erratic, and liable to go to pieces in a crisis.
As my old readers know, Sam had joined the team the year before only after considerable coaxing, and then merely as a subst.i.tute. During the middle of the great game he had been a.s.signed to left field in place of a player who had twisted his foot. In that position he had caught a fly in a thoroughly marvelous manner, and he had also managed, when at the bat, to bring in a home run.
”We've simply got to have you on the team, Sam,” said the captain, a little later, when he caught the Rover boy in one of the corridors.
”Your hanging back this year is rather hurting our chances of winning.”
”But, Bob, I want to pay attention to my lessons,” pleaded Sam. ”I can't afford to get behind.”
”You'll not get behind,” was the answer. ”Aren't we all striving to graduate? You ought to be willing to do as much as Spud and myself.”
”All right, then, Bob, if you are going to put it that way,” was the answer, and thereupon Sam allowed his name to go on the list of prospective players and at once began training.
After that matters moved along swiftly. The committee from Brill met with the committee from Roxley and arrangements were perfected for the coming game. As the contest had taken place the year previous at Roxley, it was, of course, decided that the game this year should be played at Brill. Then men were set at work to place the diamond in the best possible shape for the contest, and the grandstand was repaired, and a new set of bleachers put up to accommodate a larger crowd than ever.
”This is a baseball year,” announced Bob Grimes, ”so we can expect a big rush of visitors.” The nine had already won three games of minor importance.
”They tell me Roxley has got the best team it ever put in the field,”
announced Stanley one day, after he had been over to the other inst.i.tution. ”They've got three dandy pitchers, and two outfielders who are crackerjacks at batting. One of their men told me that they expected to walk all over us.”
”Well, we'll see about that,” returned Bob Grimes. ”We've got a good team of our own, and I know every one of us will try to play his head off to win.”
CHAPTER XVI
THE OPENING OF THE BALL GAME
The day for the great baseball game between Brill and Roxley dawned clear and bright. Sam had received word that both of his brothers with their wives would be on, reaching Ashton early in the morning. He drove down to the depot in his automobile to meet the newcomers.
When the train rolled into the station d.i.c.k Rover, as tall and handsome as ever, was the first to alight, quickly followed by his wife, Dora.
Then came Tom and Nellie.
”h.e.l.lo, Sam, my boy!” exclaimed d.i.c.k, as he strode up and shook hands, quickly followed by his wife. ”How are you these days? But it is needless to ask, for you look the picture of health.”
”Oh, I'm feeling fine,” answered Sam, smiling broadly.
”Ready to play winning baseball, I presume,” came from Dora, as she gave him a warm smile.
”Surest thing you know, Dora,” he answered. ”Oh, we've got to win from Roxley to-day!”
”Yes, but you haven't got me to pitch for you to-day, Sam,” broke in Tom, as he came up and shook hands. ”Who is going to do the twirling for Brill?”
”They are going to try Dare Phelps first, and if he can't make it, they will try Jack Dudley, one of the sophs.”